Thursday, October 31, 2019

Innovation Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Innovation - Literature review Example This paper is a literature review of innovation as an important driver of firm profitability and performance, and as a vital source of competitive advantage in any industry. The ability of a business to arrive at creative and insightful designs and methods by which it may meet consumer demands and expectations has always been an attribute that culls consumer loyalty to its products and services. The same is true with the construction industry, where different construction firms are held to public scrutiny by such standards as cost, speed and quality of project execution, but also increasingly by its track record for safety and environment sustainability, its consistency with contemporary concepts of fair and ethical leadership, and the aesthetics and beauty of its design and craftsmanship. In comparative studies among various commercial undertakings, the construction industry noticeably lags behind in terms of innovation, research and development. Industry participants cite the overr iding emphasis on cost minimization in an era of constantly rising materials prices, skilled manpower costs, and administrative expenses. Recent institutional initiatives have been taken to promote innovation in construction, such as the formation of integrated teams and innovative leadership, the most efficient use of information transfer and knowledge management, radical breakthroughs in materials research and construction methods and techniques, and the education of the public to develop a culture more receptive to innovation. The enhancement of an innovative culture in construction requires a broad-based and concerted collaboration among industry firms, associations, regulatory agencies, and other entities in the value chain. Key words: construction, innovation, branded innovation, agile innovation, transformational leadership, information and communication technology, integrated teams Introduction The concept of innovation is often associated with the manufacturing, technology, and retail industries because of the necessity of keeping up with the tastes and preferences of a fickle consumer market. Construction is seldom associate with such dynamic changes, however, because the considerable investment and long-term duration of its products are seen to be better served by strict compliance with building codes, safety standards, and conventional practices to allow much leeway for experimentation and creative revision (Patterson, 2011, p. 18). Innovation in the construction business is a relatively novel concept that has developed in the recent few decades, the scope and scale of which still remains largely undefined as may be observed from the academic studies which have dealt on it. The following survey of related literature will seek to shed light on the generally accepted meaning of innovation in construction, the new paradigms and models emerging from a rethinking of this concept, and the importance of innovation to the construction business. Innovation: definition and effects According to Lundvall (1992, p. 8) innovation is described as potentially new processes, products or strategies that â€Å"result in radical breaks with the past, making a substantial part of accumulated knowledge obsolete.† It has also been defined as consisting of â€Å"the generation of a new idea and its implementation into a new product, process, or service, leading to the dynamic growth of the national economy and the increase of employment, as well as to a creation of pure profit for the innovative business enterprise† (Urabe, Child & Kagono, 1988, p. 3) The classic view espoused by Milton Friedman places priority on the profits realized by a business. In return for financial gains, business contributes much to the improvement of society. According to Ahlstrom (2010), the reverse is actually true – the principal goal of business is the development of innovative goods and services, which in turn generate economic growth and employme nt. Innovation thus improves peoples’

Monday, October 28, 2019

United States War Against Iraq in 2003 Essay Example for Free

United States War Against Iraq in 2003 Essay The debate on the rationality behind the justification of the United States war against Iraq in 2003 calls various levels of analysis. The same debate has been viewed by various human activists at different scopes of understanding. At one level, a portion of them argues that it was unjustified when arguing under the autonomy of the civilian population and other members of the armed forces who were killed and injured in the process. As a requirement of any war attack, the human rights commission requires that the civilian population should be separated from the armed forces. They and their property should not be an object of attack. On the other point of view of human activists, the U. S attack in Iraq was a fundamental step towards liberating the country and the world in general from the dictatorship rule of Saddam Hussein. However, the debate implication would only be valid on weighing out the strengths of the two opposing sides. (http://www. globalpolicy. org/security/issues/iraq/attackindex. htm) Broadly, the justification of the war is cordial towards parameters of safeguarding humanity when our argument is based on essence and intention of the war. Unlike how many people, states and organizations percept, this was not an exercise towards elaborating to the global community the powers that were held by U. S over the global community. However, a counteractive and an opposing argument to what is conceived in the minds of such persons would be used to describe analyze who Saddam was under the context of global peace and harmony. Generally, the historical background of Saddam’s dictatorship has its roots since many years ago. Through the historical background of his dictatorial leadership, it would be logical to relate adequately and strike a balance between the effects of the U. S attack and the relative effects of Saddam to the world at large. On grounds of human rationality however, it could be argued that the invasion was a crucial modality towards restituting the Iraq state and the contemporary world of their democracy and liberty that had been intercepted by Saddam. He could have been argued as an icon behind the compromise of the global peace. Though the basic intention behind the invasion was to get Saddam out of power, the same scenario went ahead to compromising the civilian population rights through death and mass destruction of both private and public property. However, every threshold of such destruction and the relative destruction that had been done by Saddam should be weighed on a balance of which was more effecting. Generally, the mass killing by Saddam since his invasion on Kuwait coupled with other dictatorial killings in Iraq however out weighs the impact of the U. S invasion on Iraq in 2003. Few worlds and descriptions can be made on Saddam. Perhaps, we could say that he was brutal, dictatorial and a murderer who required any method of forcing him out of his power. However, since he had denied stepping down of his leadership, the only rational implement that could have restituted the contemporary world against Saddam’s dictatorial power was through invasion by United States. (http://www. globalpolicy. org/security/issues/iraq/attackindex. htm) It goes without saying that the massive genocide that was waged by Saddam would only been provided with amnesty through bringing justice into book. However, we are left to wonder on the exact scope of justified restitution which would have compensated humanity the negative effects characterized by merciless killings, genocides and war attacks by Saddam. On and above t5his, we should not forget about the weapons of mass destruction which included nuclear weapons that were in possession and manufacturing by Saddam. Rationally therefore, this invasion was an important step towards providing democratic amnesty to the global community that had been compromised by Saddam’s leadership. Both Iraq and the world in general were in fear of Saddam’s authorities. Great attribute should thus go to the United states in its provision of a benchmark towards contemporary democracy to the world. The effects of the invasion were far below the negative consequences of mass killing that had been caused by Saddam. Reference War Against Iraq: U. N Security Council. Retrieved on 15th May 2008 from http://www. globalpolicy. org/security/issues/iraq/attackindex. htm

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Opinions Of Experts In The Search For Knowledge Philosophy Essay

Opinions Of Experts In The Search For Knowledge Philosophy Essay Experts are those who are specialists and practice a particular profession, therefore many people tend to place a huge amount of trust in the hands of these people as they believe that the expert knows what he is doing, unlike themselves. This trust leads to the belief of everything the experts tell us. Therefore in the search for knowledge, we tend to use experts in order to prove our point, as it is the experts who must know the real truth about the subject that they have been studying and investigating. A simple example would be when we visit the doctor and take the medication he gives us without reading about them first, we trust them because of their credentials. In truth, experts are the people who have been looking into all sorts of beliefs and coming out with truths. Every time we learn something new about space, earth, or the earths inhabitants it is because an expert or a group of experts has finally come out with a truthful result from all his research and work. This is wh at gains our trust in experts, because they tend to be right with what they say, as once they discover an answer to something, it then becomes clear to us when explained, therefore the truth; such as the discovery of a new planet or new species. Though what if are now holding too much trust in experts? Do they sometimes have the ability to take advantage of us with items of proclaimed truths and discoveries? The opinions of experts are what I look for when I am researching a topic or trying to prove a point. Once I have found the opinion I repeat it to others carrying on the apparent knowledge, spreading it as I feel confident and correct, such as the wrongly proven fact that you could only fold a paper seven times or less, or that the ratio of dog years to human years is 1:7. Though all this confidence comes from another human being, as we are all equal I hold my knowledge of apparent truth in the hands of someone who is just as good as I am. Yes, this expert has achieved degrees and maybe some awards for his knowledge, but in this search for knowledge and confidence I do not search for these credentials. I am gullible, and with such a broad use with the internet many misconceptions can be spread due to unqualified, incorrect experts, such as the craze for the bonsai kittens which were grown into jars and the internet told us that it was common in China, this of course was proven to be hoax but it shows us the influence internet has. Therefore the trust that I hold in the name of an expert has now been betrayed. Everything we know about the earth and its surroundings today has been discovered by experts. Those people who have studied in a particular profession for many years and have then ventured into discovering more than they already knew. Once they discover more, new knowledge, it opens more doors leading to an even greater expansion of knowledge such as the recent discovery that a zebrafishs heart can heal itself; this opens doors to scientists as they try to discover if this concept can help humans. The rest of the population are shown the newly discovered knowledge and of course believe it. Experts therefore hold power over the impressionable minds of the rest of the population. I believe that they do have the power to take advantage of people and give them false knowledge because we trust their credentials and their knowledge because we do not know any better than them, especially in this field of study. Though what happens if there is more than one opinion on a piece of knowledge and both sides have proof to back up their argument? A good example of this is whether global warming is increasing due to an increased amount of global warming gasses being released, or whether it is a natural occurrence in nature; those who call global warming a hoax. A documentary produced by Martin Durkin claims that global warming is a government-supported scheme in order to gain publicity and money, proclaiming it to be the biggest scam of modern times.. The film is also backed up by experts including scientists such as Patrick Moore, former member of  Greenpeace  but for the past 21 years a critic of the organization. Whereas the Oscar winning documentary entitled An Inconvenient Truth, written by Al Gore, a previous president of the United States and the winner of a Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the fou ndations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change, promotes the necessity in the education of the human population about global warming and how to lower green house gas emissions. This is due to the, apparent, drastic effect on the earth we have created ourselves. This information tells us that experts may have different opinions and therefore influence different people giving these people confidence in the belief that what they know is the truth, yet only one can be correct. The novel entitled WRONG: Why experts keep failing usand how to know when not to trust them written by David Freedman reveals the truth about how experts mislead the public due to their high stature, directly discussing what I believe to be true, that it incredibly difficult to not trust your senses when it comes to trusting experts. You may have a different opinion to that of an expert. If so, which would be more important? Who should you trust most, you own senses, or an expert who may have been studying that field for many years? How sure are you that your senses may be misleading you with delusions that can be caused due to factors such as hallucinations or maybe even colour blindness? Would you change your mind if there was more support for the experts evidence than for yours? Though then we must look into the reliability of evidence rather than belief. There is no proof that God exists yet people trust experts when it comes to religion, and many people would say that a priest is an expert in the Christian faith, even though he doesnt have proof, and relies on belief. The importance of an expert therefore relies on your instincts and what your own opinion is. Opinion is the most important part because otherwise we wouldnt get anywhere in life and wouldnt have discovered what we have today. Knowledge should b e backed up by proof and if you have an opinion you should discover that truth. Experts merely provide their own opinions and therefore can be incorrect as they are simply humans. It is your choice whether to believe them or not and you must be reminded that you have the ability to disagree as many people seep in every word given to them by an expert without understanding and viewing the evidence. When looking for an answer the opinion from more than one expert can help discover the truth, such as diagnosing a sick patient, and all minds think differently and may come up with different solutions. Therefore it is very important to get opinions from experts, especially when it is a second opinion but we must not rely on those opinions as they are simply an idea, an idea which needs to be researched more. From a medical point of view, 40% of coma patients in a vegetative state may be misdiagnosed, this tells us that doctors, experts, are wrong 40% of the time when it comes to coma patients proving my point that they can be wrong and their opinion should not be instinctively trusted. In this case though it shows us how a doctors opinion is crucially important as we rely on them with our lives, though the more opinions you get is better. Experts are hard workers who have aims in achieving knowledge and proving what they believe to be knowledge, in doing so they gain the supports from others. Their opinions are incredibly important as they provide us with a different or new understanding though we must learn which points of knowledge are credible and who to believe. In this I think we should investigate their proof and trust our instincts and get the opinions of others in order to confirm your result as instincts can be deceived.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Williams Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Essay -- Williams Cat Hot Tin Roof Ess

Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" In 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' Williams presents the audience with w world of mendacity. Every fibre of the character's being is based on a spectrum of deceit, from self-deception, to exploitation to social lies. The characters' names themselves conceal the irony and deceit, for example Brick, the leading man. The name Brick itself suggests a tough, strong man, but Brick's character suggests a weak, pathetic man who tries hard to forget his past by indulging in a life of alcohol. Brick is mentally insecure, he lies to himself and those around him, in the first scene he pretends not to hear his wife, 'did you say something, Maggie?' The other members of the household refer to Brick as the brick house that sheltered the 'three little pigs', the strong structure that cannot be easily blown down. The 'no-neck monsters', Mae and Goopers children are the pigs, sheltered by the security of Brick. In the play lying is used to 'protect' other people's feelings because 'the truth hurts'. A web of lies covers the truth about the state of Big Daddy's health. This is to 'protect' Big Daddy and his wife from the painful reality, 'Nothin' a-tall's wrong with him but' 'a spastic colon'. Lies are used to disguise the characters real feelings, they live a lie putting on 'jewelled sandals' and 'cream silk underwear' to stop their feelings being shown. Gooper and Mae are partners in games of lies and deceit, working together to get their wishes, the inheritance from Big Daddy. The name Big Daddy suggests a physically imposing man with a big ego and Big Mama suggests a frightening woman, head of the family, a matriarch. Their names suggest how they would like others to see them but they do not... .... She builds herself up by putting Maggie down, by the end her comments have worn thin and she is ignored when she questions Maggie's 'pregnancy', Big Mama only believes what she wants to hear. It is this pressure to fit in to the family that is the source of most of the lies in the play; the audience is constantly left guessing the future, the family's lives beyond the death of 'the boss', Big Daddy. Williams leaves the end of the play open to this guessing, will Maggie get pregnant by Brick? The real question though is will Brick be able to face up to the responsibility of replacing Big Daddy and will the uncovered lies mean a truthful future for the family? I think that this is an interesting way to leave the play as it does not end 'happily ever after' but there is finally hope for the future for Maggie and Brick now they have faced up to the truth.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Diabetes And Periodontal Disease

INTRODUCTIONDiabetes and periodontal disease are both highly prevalent in the general population. A disease of the metabolism, diabetes has far reaching effects in the body. It affects the body’s capacity to fight infections and regenerate. Periodontal disease, though limited to the oral cavity, can influence systemic health. The effect of diabetes on periodontal disease has been studied extensively in the past. Now, with the advent of periodontal medicine, the effects of periodontal disease on development and control of diabetes are under scrutiny. We shall be seeing the cyclic relationship of these two diseases, and how control of one can lead to improved control of the other.DIABETESDiabetes mellitus is a systemic disease with several major complications affecting both the quality and length of life. It is an endocrine disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. Diminished insulin production, impaired action of insulin or both, lead to decreased transport of glucose to the tissues. This leads to an elevated blood sugar level.There are two types of diabetes, depending on the cause:Type 1 (insulin dependant diabetes mellitus) It is caused due to autoimmune destruction of the ÃŽ ² cells of the pancreatic Islets of Langerhans.Type 2 (non insulin dependant diabetes mellitus)It is caused by resistance of peripheral receptors to the action of insulin.Both types of diabetes are associated with many long term complications. These include nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications. Periodontitis is now considered to be the sixth complication of diabetes.It is also associated with poor wound healing and susceptibility to infections.PERIODONTAL DISEASEPeriodontal disease can be defined as ‘An inflammatory disease of the supporting tissues of the teeth caused by specific microorganisms or groups of specific microorganisms, in a susceptible host, resulting in progressive destruction of the periodontal ligam ent and alveolar bone with pocket formation, recession or both.’Periodontitis is an ongoing process characterized by phases of destruction and quiescence. The destruction is influenced by many systemic factors like dietary deficiencies, hormonal balance and host defense. Condition like vitamin c deficiency, pregnancy, immune deficiency and diabetes affect periodontal disease.DIABETES AS AN AGGRAVATING FACTOR OF PERIODONTAL DISEASEThe oral manifestations of diabetes include mucositis, burning mouth, candidiasis, abscesses, gingival polyps and periodontal disease. Diabetes, when a complication of Periodontitis, acts as a modifying and aggravating factor in the severity of periodontal infection. Diabetics with periodontitis demonstrate more attachment loss, bone loss, and deeper probing pocket depths than non-diabetic individuals. The earlier the onset of diabetes, and the poorer the control, more is the susceptibility to periodontal disease. Also, when a diabetic individual con tracts periodontal disease, it is of a greater severity than in non-diabetic individuals.Change in the MicrofloraDiabetic individuals show elevated levels of glucose in the blood. This leads to elevated glucose levels in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). This changes the environment of the periodontal microflora. There is a qualitative change of micro-organisms between non-diabetic and diabetic individuals. Studies have shown an increase in the number of Capnocytophaga and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcometans subgingivally in diabetic individuals.Microvascular Angiopathy:Diabetes leads to microvascular angiopathy, causing a compromised delivery of blood and nutrients to the periodontal tissues. There is a decrease in the removal of toxic metabolites from the tissues. There is a constant release of toxins from the plaque. Thus microangiopathy can cause tissue destruction.Collagen Turnover:Collagen metabolism is defective in diabetics. Hyperglycemia is associated with an increase in protease and collagenase activity. There is an increase in Accumulated Glycation End-products (AGEs). These AGEs cause cross-linkage of collagen fibers. These fibers, then, are not repaired or replaced. This causes decreased wound healing.Immune Response:Diabetes also leads to a diminished immune response. Diabetic abnormalities in immune response include impaired neutrophil chemotaxis, phagocytosis and adhesion. Certain protein factors in diabetic serum competitively bind neutrophil receptors, thereby preventing complement-mediated phagocytosis. The body’s defense system is thus undermined, predisposing to infections.Cytokine Regulation:Diabetics show an increase of inflammatory cytokines from monocytes/ polymorphonuclear leukocytes and reduction in growth factors from macrophages. This predisposes to chronic inflammation, tissue breakdown and diminished repair capacity. There is an increase in Interleukin1 (IL1) and Tumor necrosis factor ÃŽ ± (TNFÃŽ ±). These, in turn in crease the release of enzymes that destroy gingival connective tissue, and promote the formation of osteoclasts.Bone FormationDiabetes has also been found to impair the ability of new bone formation. It interferes with the process of coupling. This diminished capacity of new bone formation interferes with the ability of a diabetic individual to repair the loss of tissue that occurs in periodontal disease.Bacterial plaque is the primary etiologic factor of periodontal disease, but diabetes complicates periodontal disease by altering host response to plaque and reducing the ability to heal following surgery.PERIODONTAL DISEASE AS A MODIFYING FACTOR FOR DIABETESThe interrelationship between Periodontitis and diabetes provides an example of systemic disease predisposing to oral infection, and once that infection is established, the oral infection exacerbates systemic disease.Effects of Infection on Glycemic ControlGlycemic control is affected by all kinds of infections. Systemic bacteri al and viral infections cause a resistance in the peripheral tissue receptors to insulin.In case of periodontal disease, there is a persistent bacterial infection which acts in a manner similar to other systemic infections. The presence of severe periodontal disease worsens glycemic control. This effect is more pronounced in Gram negative infections.Insulin ResistancePeriodontal infection causes an increase in the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, like interleukin1 (IL1) and tumor necrosis factor ÃŽ ± (TNFÃŽ ±). Studies have demonstrated that TNFÃŽ ± suppresses insulin action via its specific receptor; hence, it exacerbates insulin resistance, producing an insulin resistance syndrome similar to that observed in diabetes. It initiates destruction of pancreatic beta cells leading to development of diabetes.Insulin resistance prevents glucose uptake into the tissues and increases the blood glucose level. The pancreas, thus, have to step up the production of insulin. This effect is s een in normal individuals as well as diabetics.Periodontitis, Diabetes and PregnancyPeriodontitis is particularly a problem in pregnant, diabetic women. Periodontitis causes an increase in biologic fluids, inducing labor. In this manner, it is associated with pre term, low birth weight babies. Diabetic women are more prone to Periodontitis than non diabetic women. They also tend to have more bone loss, more attachment loss and deeper pockets than non diabetic women. Diabetes, independently, also causes complications during childbearing.The effect of Periodontitis on the duration of pregnancy is exacerbated in diabetics.Periodontitis can also cause a loss of glycemic control in this crucial time. Thus, it is important that the periodontal health of pregnant, diabetic women be evaluated. Proper treatment modalities should be undertaken to avoid an unfavorable outcome.Treatment of Periodontitis in DiabeticsRecent evidence suggests that Periodontitis should be treated differently in dia betic individuals. Periodontal surgery and the resultant transient bacteremia can cause an up regulation of TNFÃŽ ±. This aggravates insulin resistance and upsets glycemic control. Thus Periodontitis in diabetic individuals should be treated non-surgically. The treatment of Periodontitis causes elimination of the bacterial challenge. This leads to a better tissue response to insulin. Normal tissue response is restored over time. Treatment of Periodontitis, thus, improves glycemic control. This is more apparent in patients with severe Periodontitis.CONCLUSIONPeriodontal disease is the result of a complex interplay of bacterial infection and host responses, and is often modified by various systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Such diseases are capable of affecting the periodontium and/or the treatment of periodontal disease.On the other hand, recent research indicated that periodontitis too can influence the course of a systemic disease like diabetes.In order to understand the cellular/molecular mechanisms responsible for such a cyclical association, one must identify common physiological changes associated with diabetes and periodontitis that produce a synergy when the conditions coexist. When one of the diseases is under control, control of the other disease is facilitated.Not only is periodontal disease thereby affected by systemic diseases, but carefully managed periodontal therapy may also have a positive effect on the general health of patients with systemic diseases. Â  

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Caso de menores centroamericanos detenidos en frontera

Caso de menores centroamericanos detenidos en frontera La crisis de la frontera dejà ³ unos 70,000 menores centroamericanos detenidos por la Patrulla de Fronteriza (CBP, por sus siglas en inglà ©s), tras cruzar ilegalmente la frontera de Estados Unidos. Se estima que en el aà ±o fiscal 2015 el asunto de los menores que cruzan ilegalmente la frontera puede llegar a ocasionar a Estados Unidos gastos por importe de $2 billones (dos mil millones de dà ³lares). Por ley, cuando un menor de 18 aà ±os es detenido por la CBP su informacià ³n no se introduce en la base de datos en la que aparecen los nombres, nacionalidad y lugar de detencià ³n de los indocumentados que han sido arrestados. (Para saber si un adulto est detenido por Inmigracià ³n, aquà ­ est la base de datos en la que verificar). Tampoco se les envà ­a a los centros de detencià ³n donde estn retenidos los inmigrantes adultos.   En este artà ­culo se explica: Procedencia de los nià ±os (que determina en algunos casos quà © pasa inmediatamente despuà ©s de la detencià ³n)Razones por las que viajan a Estados Unidos (ya que algunas causas podrà ­an servir de base para una vez aquà ­ buscar una salida migratoria para poder quedarse legalmente)Lugar en el que se les da alojamientoDà ³nde encontrar ayuda legalQuà © pasa cuando se les envà ­a de regreso a su paà ­s  ¿De quà © paà ­ses proceden los esos nià ±os? Estos unaccompanied minors, como se les conoce en inglà ©s en el lenguaje de Inmigracià ³n, proceden principalmente de: HondurasGuatemalaEl Salvador De esos tres paà ­ses proceden el 74 por ciento de los menores arrestados. Y en menor medida, de Mà ©xico. Pero han llegado a la frontera menores de Asia (Sri Lanka) y frica (Tanzania). Para llegar a la frontera de Estados Unidos han viajado por semanas, e incluso meses, distancias que pueden superar las mil millas. El viaje est lleno de peligros extremadamente graves. Se ha documentado toda clase de abusos, como extorsià ³n, violaciones sexuales, violencia fà ­sica, secuestros, mutilaciones, prostitucià ³n, obligacià ³n para transportar drogas para traficantes e, incluso, asesinatos.  ¿Quià ©nes son esos nià ±os? En su mayorà ­a son varones adolescentes, pero se aprecia una tendencia con cada vez ms muchachas y nià ±os de ambos gà ©neros menores de 13 aà ±os. Se han dado casos en los que la CBP se ha encontrado a nià ±os de tan sà ³lo cinco aà ±os.  ¿Por quà © huyen de sus paà ­ses e inician un viaje tan lleno de peligros extremos hacia Estados Unidos? La razà ³n principal es la violencia, los nià ±os escapan de: las gangas (pandillas, gangs) y de su presià ³n para reclutarlos a ellos o a familiares.traficantes de drogas y toda la violencia que crean a su alrededor.situaciones de violencia domà ©stica grave Inician su camino hacia Estados Unidos porque creen que aquà ­ pueden encontrar una situacià ³n mejor y porque muchos de ellos tienen en el paà ­s a al menos un familiar (padre, padre, hermano, tà ­os, etc).  ¿Quà © sucede cundo la CBP los arresta? Si los detenidos son menores  mexicanos son, en casi todos los casos, enviados de regreso a su paà ­s en cuestià ³n de horas por un acuerdo binacional. Sin embargo à ºltimamente hay un cambio en esta polà ­tica para los jà ³venes mexicanos. Pero Estados Unidos no tienen ningà ºn acuerdo de este tipo con los paà ­ses de Centroamà ©rica. Por eso, cuando un menor de ese paà ­s es arrestado tras cruzar ilegalmente la frontera esto es lo que pasa: Queda en custodia de la CBP por unas horas o unos dà ­as. Si necesita asistencia mà ©dica, se le brinda.Pasa a estar bajo custodia del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de EEUU. A estos muchachos les acoge en centros destinados de la Oficina de Reasentamiento de Refugiados (ORR, por sus siglas en inglà ©s). En la actualidad, hay 80 centros dedicados a alojar a estos menores, la mayorà ­a estn en los estados fronterizos, pero no siempre. Algunos de ellos estn gerenciados por organizaciones como Catholic Charities y SouthWest Key. Si estas instalaciones estn llenas, como ocurre ahora donde se est alojando aproximadamente cada dà ­a a 25,000 nià ±os, se recurre a barracones militares, como es el caso de la Base del Ejà ©rcito del Aire en Lackland, Texas. Los nià ±os estn atendidos, van a la escuela en las propias instalaciones pero no pueden salir, excepto por circunstancias excepcionales, como ir a consulta de un psicà ³logo o mà ©dico. Y lo hacen acompaà ±ados.En general los muchachos estn en estas instalaciones una media de 40-45 dà ­as (antes se estaba ms). A partir de ahà ­ la mayorà ­a -aproximadamente el 90 por ciento- pasa a estar en custodia de un familiar que se encuentre en Estados Unidos. Si no tienen familiar, pueden ir a Centros de Acogida para Menores (youth shelters, en cualquier parte del paà ­s).   Al ser menores de edad sus nombres no aparecen en la base de datos de personas detenidas por la CBP.  ¿Cul es la situacià ³n migratoria de estos menores y cules son sus opciones? Han entrado ilegalmente en Estados Unidos, por lo tanto, se inicia un procedimiento de deportacià ³n en su contra. Al cabo de 1-2 aà ±os la inmensa mayorà ­a acaba siendo deportado y enviado de regreso a su paà ­s de origen. Estos son los tiempos medios de demora para los casos ante Corte migratoria segà ºn el estado.  ¿Cà ³mo se puede luchar para que no se produzca la deportacià ³n? Se estima (no se sabe con seguridad) que aproximadamente un 40-50 por ciento de estos menores podrà ­a beneficiarse de alguna de las siguientes medidas: AsiloVisas para và ­ctimas de trfico humano o violencia criminal Programa de Estatus Especial de Inmigrantes Juveniles, conocido en inglà ©s como SIJ, para menores de 21 aà ±os no casados que han sido gravemente abusados y/o abandonados por sus padres o guardianesO alguna otra medida de alivio para la que puedan calificar Cuando estn bajo la custodia de ORR pueden tener contacto con organizaciones pro bono de defensa legal, con los que establecer contacto para el juicio de deportacià ³n. Pero un gran problema es que no todos los menores son contactados. Ni tampoco los familiares bajo cuya custodia quedan mientras se tramita todo el proceso de la deportacià ³n. Son situaciones legales complicadas para las que la mejor opcià ³n es contar con un abogado especialista en estos temas. Pero ni los nià ±os ni sus familias estn, en la mayorà ­a de los casos, en situacià ³n de pagar por un letrado. Y en corte de Inmigracià ³n, por ser un asunto civil, el gobierno no pone abogado de oficio a las personas que no pueden pagarlo. Sin embargo, sà ­ que convendrà ­a intentar buscar ayuda legal, en la forma de abogados pro bono. Se puede contactar con KIND (Kinds in Need of Defense), una organizacià ³n sin fin de lucro en Washington D.C. que puede poner en contacto a los menores con abogados que los pueden representar en corte sin tener que pagar, si no tienen medios econà ³micos. Si se est en la zona del Bajo Valle de Rà ­o Grande, se puede contactar con ProBar. O pedir una cita en organizaciones como Catholic Charities para ver si pueden hacer un referido a un abogado que trabaje pro bono en estos casos de menores que llegaron sin estar acompaà ±ados de adultos.  ¿Quà © pasa cuando el juez de Inmigracià ³n resuelve? Si se concede alguna medida de alivio, se pueden quedar en Estados Unidos. Hay que saber muy bien cul se concede ya que cada una tiene sus propias caracterà ­sticas, derechos y obligaciones. Si se ordena la deportacià ³n se les enviar de regreso a sus paà ­ses en vuelos de deportados.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Timeline for Applying to Law School

Timeline for Applying to Law School As most people are aware, preparing to pursue a career in law involves a total of eight years of education, starting with a bachelors degree in a similar field. Therefore, it is advised that hopeful applicants to law school should begin preparing to apply at least a year ahead of time, during the junior and senior year of their bachelors program.   Discover the timeline below to find out the best methods for applying for and completing your law school degree, the first step into an exciting career in the field.   Junior Year First things first: do you want to go to law school? Around the beginning of the junior year of your bachelor degree, you should determine if a path into law is right for you. If so, you can begin researching law schools to apply to on the LSAC site  and schedule your  LSAT  for either February or June of the following semester.   During the following months, its best to begin preparation for this all-important test. If you are taking the LSAT in February, immerse yourself in studying. Consider taking a preparation course or hiring a tutor. Review test prep books and take as many exams as you have access to. Registration for each exam must be completed at least  30 days before the tests - remember that seats do fill up at testing locations, so booking early is advised. Developing relationships with professors in the field would also be advisable at this time. You will need them to write  recommendation letters  for your application. Cultivate relationships with these faculty, and they will have a positive response (and good things to say) when it is time for you to ask. You should also meet with a pre-law advisor or another faculty member who can provide you with information and feedback on your progress toward gaining admission into law school.   In the spring (or summer, depending on when you schedule it), you will take your LSAT. Your score will be available three weeks after the exam. If your LSAT score  is high enough for a good chance of admission, you dont have to worry with this again. However, if you feel you might do better, there are two more opportunities to retake the LSAT: once in June and again in October.   Summer Between Junior and Senior Year If you need to retake the LSAT, remember to register more than 30 days in advance for the June test. If you still dont believe the score is good enough to get you into your chosen  law schools, you may retake it in October. In that case, spend the summer studying up and meeting with other professionals in the field to get insight on how best to take the test.   At this time, it is essential that you register with the LSDAS and begin your Credential Assembly Service application, complete with having your higher education  transcripts sent to LSDAS. You should also start finalizing your list of top choices of schools youd like to apply for. Narrowing down your selection will prevent wasting money on applications to schools you dont want and help in understanding what you should be sending out in your resumes (each school is slightly different).   Spend the summer gathering each schools application materials, downloading applications and requesting additional information and materials as needed. Draft your  personal statement and review it with your advisor, other professors, friends and family and anyone else who will read it and give feedback. Edit this and draft your resume, again seeking feedback for both.   Fall, Senior Year As you enter your senior year, it is time to  request recommendation letters from faculty  who you have developed relationships with throughout your schooling. Youll typically want to send three of these letters along with each application. You will then need to provide the letter writer with  a copy of your resume, transcript and a summary of aspects of your academic, professional and personal life accomplishments for them to consider. If needed, continue updating your resume and take the October LSAT for your final chance to garner the highest score.   If you require financial aid, complete the  Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which makes you eligible to apply for it. Triple-check your law school applications before finalizing them with the Credential Application Service. Then prepare and submit  law school application forms to each school. It is important now to confirm that each application was received and is complete. Typically you will receive an email or postcard. If you dont, make contact with the admissions office. During this time, also do not forget to submit completed financial aid applications. Acceptance, Rejection or Wait-Listed It is important to keep your LSAC profile up to date, so submit your updated transcript to the LSAC upon entering the final semester of your senior year. As soon as January,  acceptance, rejection and wait-list letters begin to roll in. You will now need to evaluate acceptances and wait-list letters to determine which ones you will pursue further. If your application was rejected, evaluate your application and consider  reasons why  and  how to improve, if you decide to reapply. It is recommended that you visit law schools youve been accepted to, if possible. This way you can get a feel for not only the academic environment of the schools curriculum but also a feel for the community, landscape, location and campus of your preferred schools. If youve been accepted to multiple institutions, these could be the determining factors that help you choose which law school youll ultimately go to.   In any case, you should send thank you notes to faculty who have helped you. Let them know the outcome of your application and thank them for their help. Once you graduate college, send your final transcript to the school that you will attend.   Then, enjoy your last summer before law school and good luck in your next higher institution of learning.